Corona del Mar football outlasts Downey Warren to move on in CIF-SS playoffs
The Corona del Mar High football team and host Downey Warren went toe-to-toe for much of the game in the opening round of the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs.
And it took a Hail Mary pass late in the fourth quarter to finally decide it in favor of the Sea Kings, who advanced with a 42-35 victory.
CdM opened the scoring on the first drive, but by the end of the first quarter, Warren built a 15-7 lead.
Midway through the second quarter, CdM quarterback David Rasor scored on a short run into the end zone to make it 15-14.
The Bears increased their lead to 22-14 at the half. Warren scored again in the third quarter but CdM roared back with a TD to make it 28-21 in favor of the host team.
Seven seconds into the fourth quarter, CdM tied the game 28-28 with a scamper into the end zone by Rasor.
With 6:18 left in the game, CdM’s Cooper Hoch found himself all alone behind the defenders and caught a 64-yard pass, giving the Sea Kings a 35-28 lead.
But, on the ensuing kickoff, Warren scored a TD in 13 seconds to tie the game again 35-35.
With 1:08 left in the game and CdM on fourth-and-17, Rasor threw a hail Mary pass to the double-defended Cooper Hoch.
The junior wide receiver caught the ball in the end zone while falling backward to give his team the lead again.
After a couple of sacks by the CdM defense, Warren found itself in a hole with a fourth-and-19 at its own 6-yard line. With 44 seconds left in the game, Ryan Nielsen sealed the win with a sack.
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